Shiny, renovated St Pancras is one of London’s must-see sights, whether you’re hopping on a Eurostar to the continent or just treating yourself to a glass of fizz at the champagne bar stretching beside the platforms.
It is celebrated for its Victorian architecture.
The Grade I listed building stands on Euston Road in St Pancras, London, between the British Library, King's Cross station and the Regent's Canal. It was opened in 1868 by the Midland Railway as the southern terminus. At the time of opening, the arched Barlow train shed was the largest single-span roof in the world.
From 1840, Midland trains to and from London ran from Euston using the London and North Western line via a junction at Rugby. Congestion and delays south of Rugby quickly became commonplace as services expanded. Construction of the station foundations did not start until July 1866.
The first train, an express for Manchester, ran non-stop from Kentish Town to Leicester - the longest non-stop run in the world at 97 miles (156 km). By the 1960s, St Pancras station came to be seen as redundant, and several attempts were made to close the station.
The station has since been rebuilt. On 4 September 2007, the first test train ran from Paris Gare du Nord to St Pancras. The full Eurostar timetable came into operation on 9 December 2007. The basic service provides 17 pairs of trains to and from Paris Gare du Nord every day. Additional weekend leisure-oriented trains also run to the French Alps during the skiing season.
Fictional uses
Platform 2 is used for the arrival of a Royal train in the film King Ralph.
The station is used as the location for the Berlin Railway Station scene in the 1992 movie Shining Through.
It is used as the seat of government for the King in Richard III.
Mr. Bean attempts to leave this station without a ticket in Hair By Mr. Bean Of London.
The music video for the Spice Girls song Wannabe was filmed inside the former Midland Grand Hotel at St Pancras.
Part of the film 102 Dalmatians was shot in St Pancras.
St Pancras station can be recognized in the exterior shots of King's Cross station in the Harry Potter film series.
The interior corridor and stairwell shots of Arkham Asylum in the film Batman Begins were shot in the disused Midland Grand Hotel.
The gargoyles from the station roof come to life and play an important part in Charlie Fletcher's children's book Stoneheart.
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